Tuesday, June 30, 2015

I've been lucky to have good teeth. I'll be 51 this July and yet to suffer a cavity. Part of that is due to growing up with a mom who was a dental assistant. Mom was diligent about dental health. She used to tell me the Tooth Fairy only traded coins for baby teeth with no cavities. I was unsure what the Tooth Fairy did with cavity-filled baby teeth. Maybe she smacked the poor child on the head with her wand. Maybe she took a selfie with the poor, dead tooth, and then flew off laughing. Regardless, I lived in mortal fear that the Tooth Fairy would pass me over.

Anyways, back to the present. My dentist loves that I brush after every meal. But I have a confession--I hate dental floss. I don't hate flossing, I floss every day. I hate the way the little plastic floss dispensers are designed.

You know when you're trying to break off a piece by using that stupid little metal cutter? It never breaks off nicely like it's supposed to, it shreds. So, you pull out a little more floss, hoping to get a clean cut. And it shreds again. So you pull out a little more...and a little more. Until you end up with literally yards of the stuff in the sink. Congratulations! You've wasted six whole dollars, and have nothing but an empty plastic container to show for it. Technically, you could set the floss aside, and cut off pieces with a pair of scissors. But that's not the way it's supposed to work. The floss is designed to snap off by using the little metal cutter. Using scissors would be admitting defeat. In a rage, you throw the plastic container (and the spent floss) into the garbage. Forget the floss, who needs it? Dental health is over-rated. The Tooth Fairy already has all your baby teeth, doing god-knows-what with them.

Curse you, floss--and the little plastic dispenser you came in. I should ditch dispenser floss and buy the wands. But I won't. Wands are for Tooth Fairies--and she's the one who got me into trouble in the first place.

Monday, June 29, 2015

I'll be the first to admit--I'm not a fan of chocolate. Vegetables, yes, chocolate, no. I'll hang my head in shame now. When I announced to my chocolate-loving teenagers that I would be using them as guinea pigs taste-testers of a brownie recipe which included vegetables, there were...protests. I believe one of the comments were, "Why would you ruin perfection??!" There were other comments, but I won't write them here.
The verdict? "Pretty good, actually!"

Friday, June 26, 2015

THE ISLAND will be released (tentatively) on August 5, 2015 via Booktrope, Forsaken Imprint. This will be my fifth book, and I'm very excited! The story is situated around the west coast of Canada--one of the areas I grew up. It was quite awesome to revisit it last year while working on this novel. (see photo below)

Stay tuned for further details/cover reveal on this newest paranormal horror OR
Follow my Amazon Author Page to receive notices of my new releases

The Island

Exploring a remote island can get you into trouble.

Especially when you stumble upon a cave and awaken two demons.

Rumors and superstition.That’s what Emma thinks about local gossip concerning her grandmother’s “cursed” private island. Emma journeys to the island to ready it for sale. While out exploring, she unearths a hidden cave–a cave which holds answers to the island’s dark past.There may be more to the rumors than she thought.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

The “Pickwick Poltergeist” house in the Toxteth neighborhood in Liverpool, England is up for sale. The three-bedroom terraced house is currently for rent at £91 a week, and is said to be haunted by a violent ghost, known as the Pickwick poltergeist.

Significant paranormal activity situated around the house goes back as far as the 1800's. The poltergeist not only haunts this particular property, but various houses on the street. Decades of reports, accompanied by the often violent nature of the poltergeist, have been documented.

In one instance, a landlady was reportedly lifted out of her bed by an unseen force, while the house of her neighbor was shaken by violent vibrations. Other incidents include doors slamming and objects flying across the room. Tenants report "feeling uneasy" and that the house is constantly cold.

____________________

I tried to find historical information on the area to see if something out of the ordinary had happened, which might explain the haunting. I couldn't find a specific event, but I was able to find Toxteth Park Cemetery's death records of people who lived on Pickwick Street from 1870 to 2000. There were a lot of deaths. It made me wonder if the "poltergeist" activity was a collective energy, or one death in particular. Here's what I found:

Keep in mind, these are the deaths of people who lived at what is basically a 2 block area of terraced homes.

1870-1879 26 deaths

1880-1889 51 deaths

1890-1899 54 deaths

1900-1909 33 deaths

1910-1919 44 deaths

1920-1929 16 deaths

1930-1939 17 deaths

1940-1949 6 deaths

1950-1959 7 deaths

1960-1969 2 deaths

1970-1979 3 deaths

1980-1989 1 death

1990-1999 1 death

_____________________

*Total: 261 deaths within a 130 year period

109 of those were an infant or child

Of note: On Dombey Street, which is one street over (a similar 2 block stretch, and also worker housing at the time) there were 162 deaths during the same 130 year period. Significantly lower, and no reports of poltergeist activity on that street. Makes you wonder.

*The first death reported on Pickwick Street was on April 13, 1871. Catherine Newton was listed as a 56 year old "wife." Her husband, Thos Newton, died on February 10, 1880.

*The first death recorded at 62 Pickwick Street (the place up for sale) was on December 16, 1897. Eliza Ann Watts was 18 years old and listed as a "spinster." Her parents, Ellen and George, died at the same location in 1916 and 1926.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

I’ve been obsessed with the concept of time travel since I was a young girl. I don’t know why, but the genre just sucks me in. Sorry, no vampires in my series. Well, none that I’m aware of yet. The decision to write The Last Timekeepers time travel series came to me through a dream I had in the late 90s, and I’m glad I managed to pull it out of my subconscious and onto paper. The first book in the series, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, is geared for the upper middle grade and lower young adult crowd, but I believe adults would have a blast in the past too. In honor of this timely subject, I thought it would be fun and fitting to do a little time traveling in my mind (with the help of my trusty search engine) and recall what television shows had planted their seeds and rooted me firmly in this genre. I found I was grasping at straws. I could only come up with three legitimate shows I truly liked. So I ended up throwing in a couple of honorable mentions.

So, without further ado, my top five (sort of) fav time travel television shows…

Quantum Leap (1985)—Scott Bakula, a tight white suit, and any body will do.

Voyagers! (1982-83)—handsome ex-pirate meets 12 year-old boy, then go travel through time to repair errors in world history together.

Tru Calling (2003-05)—according to Tru Davies, the dead do speak, and want her to make them undead.

Doctor Who (1963 and still going)—not a fan, but is worth mentioning as it’s the longest running science fiction television show in the world and has a huge fan base.

It’s About Time (1966)—think Gilligan’s Island meets the Flintstones. Then again, don’t.

***

Children are the keys to our future. And now, children are the only hope for our past.

Book Information:

Title: The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis

Series: The Last Timekeepers, Book #1

Author Name: Sharon Ledwith

Genre(s): Young Adult, Time Travel, Middle Grade

Tags: #‎YAlit‬ ‪#‎timetravel‬

Length: Approx. 180 pages

Re-Release Date: June 17, 2015

Publisher: Mirror World Publishing

About The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis:

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

Monday, June 22, 2015

I'm going to sing the praises of quinoa again--forgive me. Quinoa is a complete protein superfood. It's seeds contain essential amino acids, calcium, phosphorus, and iron, which makes it a perfect choice for vegetarians. There--my singing was painless, right? This recipe is easy and nutritious. You can use either tortillas (which is more like a burrito) or taco shells. Enjoy!Spicy Quinoa Tacos

Monday, June 15, 2015

I'm a big fan of Asian food; Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, and Thai - it's all good! But with temperatures topping 95F this week, the last thing I want to do is cook. Here's a super-simple recipe for a hot day. It's also quite versatile--if you don't like bean sprouts or cabbage, substitute spinach or another vegetable of choice. Experiment and enjoy!

3) Add hot water to a large shallow dish to a depth of 1 inch. Place 1 rice paper sheet in dish; let stand 30 seconds or until soft.

4) Place rice paper sheet on plate. Top with about 3 tablespoons cabbage mixture, 2 tablespoons noodles, and 1 onion slice. Fold top and bottom of sheet over filling. Fold one side of sheet over filling, and roll up. Gently press seam to seal. Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers, cabbage mixture, noodles, and onion.

Friday, June 12, 2015

Edward Mordake was reportedly an English heir, scholar, and a musician. He was considered a bright and charming man, and said to be quite handsome when viewed from the front. However, on the back of his head, there was a second twisted face. The duplicate face could neither eat nor speak out loud but was seen to "smile and sneer while Mordake was weeping."

As told in Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine in 1896:

"The eyes would follow the movements of the spectator, and the lips "would gibber without ceasing". No voice was audible, but Mordake avers that he was kept from his rest at night by the hateful whispers of his "devil twin", as he called it, "which never sleeps, but talks to me forever of such things as they only speak of in Hell. No imagination can conceive the dreadful temptations it sets before me. For some unforgiven wickedness of my forefathers I am knit to this fiend – for a fiend it surely is. I beg and beseech you to crush it out of human semblance, even if I die for it."

Mordake reportedly begged doctors to have his "demon face" removed, claiming that it whispered to him at night, but no doctor would attempt it. As an adult, he lived in complete seclusion, refusing visits from members of his own family. Edward committed suicide when he was 23 years old. He reportedly left behind a letter requesting that the "demon face" be destroyed before his burial, "‘lest it continues its dreadful whisperings in my grave."

Such a birth defect might have been a form of craniopagus parasiticus (a parasitic twin head with an undeveloped body), diprosopus (bifurcated craniofacial duplication), or an extreme form of parasitic twin (an unequal conjoined twin). There is some debate as to whether Edward Mordake existed at all, but instead was the literary creation of Charles Lotin Hildreth. History tends to blur the line between fact and fiction. There have been other well-documented cases of conjoined twins, so it is possible that the story is based on a grain of truth.

So, why is this posted on "Frightening Friday?" I don't find the abnormality frightening, it is what it is. What I do find "frightening" is that the poor man suffered (in the way he did) until he committed suicide.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

The idea for my latest release, VOICES came to me while
perusing a paranormal chat forum. Members were discussing the topic of hearing
ghosts--not just the occasional bump in the night, but actual voices of the
departed. The general feeling was a reluctance to tell others of their
experiences because they didn’t want to be thought of as “crazy” or “schizophrenic.”
On a lark, I decided to look up a support forum for those struggling with
schizophrenia; specifically, those who reported voices. The two forums had some
interesting similarities.

Now, in NO way am I suggesting that mental
health issues and paranormal experiences are one and the same. Mental health
issues exist and can be treated with counseling, and in some cases, medication.
Paranormal experiences, on the other hand, pretty much stick around until the
spirit decides to move on. So, how does one differentiate between the two? I’m
not a psychiatrist, so I won’t try to answer that question. However, I did
notice one major difference between the two forums in regards to hearing
voices. Those struggling with schizophrenia reported the voices said negative
things (ie. you’re worthless, everyone hates you, etc.) or told them to do negative things. Those on the
paranormal chat board, reported more incidents of disembodied voices conveying
messages and random things.

I watched the boards for about a week
while my writer brain percolated a story idea. What would happen if a person
confessed to hearing voices and was committed to a mental hospital when, in
fact, they were the true voices of
ghosts? I found the idea interesting and ran with it.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Father Montgomery, an elderly priest with a secret past, begins to investigate after his parishioners come under attack, and with the help of Jones, a young businessman with an estranged child, Montgomery begins to track down the origin of the Angels.

The Angels are naked and androgynous. They speak in a dreadful harmony with no clear leader. These aren’t biblical cherubs tasked with the protection of the righteous – these are deadly creatures of light that have the power to completely eradicate.

When Jones himself is attacked, Father Montgomery knows he has to act fast. He speaks to the Angels and organises a final showdown where he’s asked to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Dane Cobain is a writer, poet and musician from a place you've probably never heard of, somewhere in England. When he's not writing books, he's reading and reviewing them on his book blog - SocialBookshelves.com - or working at his day job in social media marketing.

Please welcome my guest today, Rik Stone. This was one of those instances where a negative situation for both of us, became a positive! I was introduced to another author--and I'm pleased to introduce him to you. Take it away, Rik.

***

When Clarissa discovered that one of her books was
being pirated on a bogus site, she noticed that my debut novel Birth of an
Assassin sat right alongside it. She had her book taken down, but was told,
wrongly, that they had permission to give/rent out my book. Not believing what
she was told, she contacted me on Messenger and gave me the heads up, but by
the time I got to the site to check it out, it had disappeared altogether.
Sounds okay, but now I was concerned that it was maybe the wrong link she’d
given me, so I contacted her one more time. The conversation went back and forward,
until our chatting revealed that she had a blog site and did author posts. This
is when I bootlegged her; by me pushing for a spot on her site. And here I am.

The fact that Clarissa deals mainly with paranormal might
have worried me; these stories can be a bit frightening. When I read a novel I
like to pretend I’m right there in the thick of it and that one or all of the characters
are me. I live the story. Oh, frightened, so your work is on the meek side? you
ask. No, I write thrillers that can be equally chilling. My characters, good
and bad, can be brutal and merciless, but I know where they’re at. I can live
with them because they’re right in front of me where I can see what they’re up
to. Supernatural is something else... those characters start playing with my
mind and I begin believing that just maybe some little devil or spectre out
there might take control … and that’s when the nightmares begin.

So, enough of the paranormal already, I want to tell
you about my recently released thriller, The Turkish Connection. It’s the
second in the Birth of an Assassin series and, as the title suggests, is set in
Turkey. The two works thus far are heading towards union, but currently
stand-alone, so can be read in any order. The Turkish Connection follows the
life of Mehmet Pasha, a young boy kidnapped into a gang of child thieves and
forced into robbing the souks and marketplaces in Istanbul. Mehmet believes his
father used him as a stake in a card game, and lost, little knowing that his murdered
body lies in a watery grave not far from the stinking jetty he now lives under.
He makes it through to adulthood and it’s then it becomes clear his life hadn’t
been mapped out by chance and that a very real adversary had been pulling the
strings. Circumstances change and he finds himself in a position where he has
to deal with this enemy or die.

I think there are about five chapters in the ‘have a
look’ section on the sales page at Amazon, but I would think reading the
prologue would be enough for you to know whether you’re gonna like it. Take a
peek:

Monday, June 8, 2015

I know it's summer (in this part of the world), so warm soup may be the furthest from your mind. However, I happen to love soup any day of the year! This is my crock pot, vegetarian version of a recipe I came across last week. It got the thumbs up from my two teens, which is saying something because it's green. Enjoy!Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

Saute onion in 1 tbsp of melted butter until transparent.
In a separate pot, make a roux by whisking in remainder of melted butter and ¼ cup flour.
Slowly whisk in warmed milk, and cook until mixture thickens.
Whisk in vegetable stock.
Transfer mixture into crock pot.
Add broccoli florets, carrots and sauteed onions.
Cook in crock pot on low until broccoli is tender.
Stir in cheese until melted. Add sour cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Blend until smooth (or leave it chunky, if you prefer).
Serve in a sourdough bread bowl.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Wethersfield, Connecticut is a town rich in history and spooky stories. When writing Disenchanted, I wanted to link to that feeling. Puritans founded the town in 1634 and because of its religious roots, Wethersfield has been connected to witches and witchcraft ever since. The atmosphere of New England style buildings and old cemeteries makes for an amazing setting in a fantasy romance where magic rules. Here are some of my favorite spots.

The Rare Muse

The Rare Muse appears to be a regular bookstore, but the appearance is meant to deceive the ordinary shoppers. When Sophie, the sixteen-year-old white witch main character, stumbles into the shop with her magical currency, Celtic coins, she is able to trade them for access to the rare, rare book room. This room, with its theatrical movie screen framed by red velvet curtains, and tiers and balconies filled with book shelves was inspired by the real life El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a former Parisian-style theater turned bookstore, the largest bookstore in South America. Sophie meanders through the grand room until she finds the Book of Dark Spells. When she tries to return the nefarious tome to the shelf, the shop owner, a diminutive goblin, tells her she cannot. The book now belongs to her whether she wants it or not. When she opens the cover, she sees the list of previous and deceased owners, and her name has been mysteriously added.

The True Love Tree

The True Love Tree is an old mulberry tree growing in front of Sophie’s house where she lives with her quirky Aunt Janie. For the first time in three hundred-and-fifty years, the tree is bearing fruit. Long ago, beneath the tree, two lovers first met and exchanged promises. When this girl, a witch ancestor of Sophie’s, fell in love with Francis Mather, a cursed ordinary, she herself was cursed to die. After her death, the grief-stricken boy, drank a goblet of wolfsbane potion and dropped dead beside her grave, where he was soon after buried; ill-fated lovers resting for eternity. In the present, it is where Sophie’s true love, Alexavier Mather, goes to die when he falsely believes Sophie has died trying to break his family’s true love curse.

The Village Cemetery

Inspired by the real life Village Cemetery in Wethersfield, this setting is where Aunt Janie tells Sophie the story that sparks her curiosity about Alexavier Mather’s family secret. The story involves Judge Mather, Alexavier’s father, digging up one of their ancestors to have genetic samples taken so he can get to the root of a family medical problem. The judge learns the problem is not genetic, but rather a curse that has affected the Mather bloodline since his ancestor condemned Sophie’s ancestor, the witch, Rebecca Greensmith to hang at Gallows Hill. Very creepy!

Kingshill Detention Center

Kingshill Detention Center is a fictional setting inspired by the Crownsville Hospital Center in Crownsville, Maryland, which served as a hospital for the insane and was where patients died from shock therapy and botched lobotomies in the early part of the twentieth century. The hospital was closed decades ago, but looks eerily pristine as it sits off a main road outside of Annapolis. And ghosts have been known to haunt its empty halls. In Disenchanted, this detention center is on the outskirts of Wethersfield and where Judge Mather, taking revenge on the witches, locks them up for crimes of public mischief and con artistry when he spies them unleashing their magic around town. The old iron locks on the doors make it nearly impossible for the witches to escape. Nearly.

The old fairgrounds

The old fairgrounds are the fictional setting for the climax scene where Sophie comes into her power and shows her unsuspecting coven exactly what she can do. The haunted grounds are filled with dilapidated buildings and rusted amusement rides. There is a circle of white marble columns surrounding a stone basin that holds the witches’ fire for the Seeking ceremony, an event that happens to coincide with a very powerful eclipse and causes Sophie’s power to surge.

Descended from a powerful Wethersfield witch, sixteen-year-old Sophie is struggling to hide her awkwardly emerging magic, but that’s the least of her worries. When a dangerous thief tries to steal her mysterious heirloom necklace, she is rescued by the one person she’s forbidden to fall for, a descendant of the man who condemned her ancestor to hang. He carries a dark secret that could destroy them both unless Sophie learns how to tap into the mysterious power of her diamond bloodcharm. She will have to uncover dark secrets from both of their families' wicked pasts and risk everything, including her soul to save them from a witch's true love curse, but it will take much more than that.

Leigh Goff grew up in Maryland where she resides today. Her writing is inspired by an unusual childhood, a vivid imagination, and compelling historical events. After taking several writing courses in college and attending professional writing workshops after she graduated from the University of Maryland, she joined the Maryland Writers' Association and Romance Writers of America. She is also an approved artist with the Maryland State Arts Council.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

"Vaccinated Children Five Times More Prone to Disease Than Unvaccinated Children!"

"Semen Is 'Good for Women's Health and Helps Fight Depression!"

"Facebook removes amputee photos!"

"People in Denmark are paid twice as much as Americans! America sucks!"

There's this little site called Snopes. There, you can look up story headlines before sharing so you don't look uninformed. It takes two seconds. Or better yet, JUST LOOK IT UP. Stop reflexively pressing that "Share" button. It's a trap for sharing hoaxes, scams, rumors, urban legends, embellished truths, and flat-out lies.

And as an aside, nobody needs to read bad news. Seriously, why would you share that?

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Ever want to buy a haunted town? How about a haunted house? I came across these properties for sale this past week. Let me know if you come up with the money because I think owning either would be awesome. I wouldn't even mind sharing--it might make for good story inspiration.

Selling for a mere 2.4 million, this desolate 19th century Victorian mill town is on the market. In the 1960s, Ray Schmitt purchased the town with plans to restore it to its former glory. Notoriously eccentric, the enthusiastic hoarder of Victorian curiosities began to add his collection of curiosities to give Johnsonville an authentic appearance and open a tourist attraction. To compliment the existing homestead and mill, he moved a 19th century Quaker meetinghouse, a Waterford, Connecticut stable and chapel, and a general store onto the property. Mishap after mishap kept the carefully designed would-be tourist destination from reaching Schmitt's idea of its true potential. In the 1970s, lightning struck the mill and burned it down, and in 1994, Schmitt got into a dispute with the local officials. He died in 1998 and his ghost is said to haunt the area.

In 2001, the town was sold to the Meyer Jabara Hotel Group. They originally hoped to turn it into a residential community for adults over 55 but in September 2001, the economy took downfall and the project was delayed. Johnsonville became a ghost town the second time. After selling at auction for $1.9 million in October 2014, the buyer's financing fell through and the town is once again, up for sale.

If an entire town is too big for your tastes, check out the Gustav Mayer house located on Staten Island, New York.

Up for sale at 2.31 million, this 7,700 sq.ft. 10-bedroom house is undergoing some renovation. The mansion was owned by Gustav A. Mayer, a 19th-century inventor and creator of the Nabisco Nilla sugar-cookie recipe. He died in 1918, but his two daughters, Paula and Emilie, stayed in the mansion until beyond their 100th birthdays. The two women never went outside and sequestered themselves in just two bedrooms for the better part of a century. Developing an elaborate pulley system, they were able to bring in groceries, mail and anything else they needed from outside. Their ghosts are said to roam the hallways.

Travers McCraken, a dashing and magical Irish highwayman, rescues a beautiful sultana, Marguerita Francesca de la Rosa, from the harem an evil djinni. He then raises a ship and crew of rogues and vagabonds to return the voluptuous Latina to her homeland in the Creole city-state of Cibonay. During their Homeric adventure, shenanigans ensue as the djinni and his villainous inner-circle give chase.

1st Page excerpt ;

Chapter 1 The Lost Highway Tavern

When last we left Travers McCraken, the outer doors of the Royal Harem of Amon Sin Algol were giving way under the combined weight of three large guardsmen. The sultan was due back from the Council of Sinister Magicianals by nightfall. He would not be pleased. To further worsen matters, the harem had only been half-serviced while cognac rations ran fearfully low.

Hearing the sound of wood splintering at the other end of the seraglio, Travers knew it was time to get dressed and prepare an elegant farewell for the lovely ladies he so regretfully had to leave behind.

“Attention, m’ many loves m’ minutes that fly by oh so quickly.” He spoke in a clear Irish voice that rumbled slightly like distant thunder. It gently commanded all within the sound of it to listen. The one hundred and eight wives of Amon Sin Algol rose as one and moved closer to the young wayfarer.

“A toast,” he continued. “I crept in t’ y’r beds, like a thief in the night/T’ plow through y’r gardens o’ earthly delights/Alas I must go—but return o I will/With a stiff drink in me one hand…an’ in the other…/Somethin’ far stiffer still.”

For the next few moments there was much giggling and clicking of glasses. Suddenly the happy mood was broken by the sound of the inner doors to the harem bursting open. At the sight of the trio of burly men with their scimitars drawn high, Travers decided it was time to make his exit.

He was above all else a lover, but since many a husband seemed put out by his chosen profession, being a fighter had become a necessary second vocation. Sadly, he grabbed the next to the last bottle ofL’Esprit de Courvoisier cognac he had brought then shattered it against the head of the first eunuch guardsmen to reach him. The defender of the harem fell like a stone. The wives of the sultan descended on the other two but reinforcements had already been summoned.

Travers put on his boots and britches. He casually tucked in his shirt and buckled his sword belt as if time had agreed to go in slow motion until he was ready for his grandiose exit from this garden of pleasure. He then donned his longcoat, a gift given to him by the sorceress Tammera at the start of his ramblings so many years ago. With equal parts flourish and flair he snatched up his last bottle of cognac, flung open the tails of the longcoat and put his fingers to his lips bidding the harem a fond farewell.

Before Travers could fall back into the folds of the coat as he had done so many times in the past, a jewel caught his eye. It was Margay, the olive-skinned favourite of the sultan. Her almond eyes pleaded for Travers to take her with him. He knew well why the sultry sultana was Amon Sin Algol’s favourite. In a move both foolhardy and fateful he grabbed her warm, willing body. They kissed deeply. She closed her eyes and sighed as they fell through the portal at the back of his magical garment.

When the royal guards finally made it through the beautiful multitude to where Travers and his eager captive once stood, all they saw was a magnificent longcoat, woven of the finest thread, free-floating before them. It hung in mid-air as if occupied by a headless phantom.

Suddenly a hand shot out from the interlining, bejeweled fingers outstretched. It grabbed the lapel and disappeared back in, taking the free-standing coat with it. There was a rustling of heavy cloth flapping together, then abrupt silence. Next a tiny pop broke the stillness, caused by the sudden rush of air filling the space where the coat and the couple stood only a jiffy before. This was accompanied by the unmistakable sound of the last bottle of well-aged French brandy shattering against the quartz-tiled floor.

A familiar voice shouting, “Noooooo,” echoed on every wall of the marbled bath.

Travers McCraken offered to Bacchus, the god governing such matters, a curse-filled prayer. He prayed that wherever their journey ended, a blazing fire, good companionship and a well-stocked liquor cabinet would bid them a warm welcome.

***

As of now, Travers McCraken The Prince of Knocknafay is sold only in book form @ knocknafay.com

Bret Bouriseau currently lives in a never-completely renovated farmhouse with his wife, Marguerite and two sons, Walker and Morgon, in rural Missouri. In the spring and summer he enjoys travel. During the fall and winter he prefers a warm fire, a dark brew and reading stories that were originally printed on pulp. As with most writers, he loves cats and would be eager to exchange recipes.

Moira Flynn is arrested for attacking a door-to-door solicitor with a knife. She claims a voice told her the man was intent on assaulting her. The trouble is, she was the only one that heard that voice. Moira strikes a plea bargain and is sent to a psychiatric hospital for voluntary treatment. Dr. Richard Cassano is hesitant to treat her as schizophrenic, as she does not show the standard symptoms. As their sessions progress, Moira confesses there are two voices—and they aren’t voices in her head, but the voices of ghosts. Are they imaginary? Or are they actual spirits, attached to her for reasons of their own? As Moira’s doctor uncovers more of her past, he begins to realize that her ghosts are real. And one of them is determined to drag Moira into the afterlife with him.

About Me

Clarissa Johal is the bestselling author of The Lighthouse, Whispers in the Wood, Poppy, The Island, Voices, Struck and Between.
When she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s swinging from a trapeze, or taking pictures of gargoyles.

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by https://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/ and how it is used.

Log FilesLike many other Web sites, https://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/ makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and the number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track users movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

Cookies and Web Beaconshttps://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/ does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.

DoubleClick DART Cookie

Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on https://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/.

Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to your users based on their visit to https://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/ and other sites on the Internet. Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html

These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on https://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/ send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and/or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

https://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/ has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. https://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/'s privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or websites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.